Many work areas and buildings are only occupied during a portion of each day, during which time the consumption of electricity or other forms of energy (e.g. natural gas, etc.) are typically at their highest. However, significant energy may still be consumed during periods of little or no use of the building or work area. For example, even when computers, monitors, radios, and similar devices are switched off, they still consume power in “standby” mode. Also, lights, space heaters, fans, and other devices that are left on during periods of non-use can consume significant amounts of energy, thus driving up utility costs.